There are two of the big unanswered questions in the most scandalous official world of football. Why did FIFA give Michel Platini two million Swiss francs under Joseph Blatter? And how did the Swiss criminal investigators find out about the dubious payment? Blatter (86) and Platini (66) have long since lost their position as the most powerful men in world football – it is now eagerly awaited whether all the backgrounds can also be disclosed in the trial against the former friends before the Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona in the canton of Ticino.
The most important questions about the hearing, which begins on Wednesday:
What are Blatter and Platini accused of?
The charges include fraud, forgery and several other offenses. The two former top officials are accused of having deceived the world association about an allegedly outstanding claim by Platini from an advisory position for FIFA and Blatter from July 1998 to mid-2002. In 2010, a “fictitious” bill for two million Swiss francs was submitted by then-UEFA President Platini and confirmed by Blatter. The sum went from FIFA to Platini’s account in 2011, and the world association also paid 229,126 francs in social security contributions.
What do the accused say?
Platini’s defense sees the trial as the “result of a conspiracy”. you can”explain in detail that the trial against Mr Platini was politically motivated with the aim of preventing him from becoming FIFA President“said lawyer Dominic Nellen of the German Press Agency. The aim was to have Platini as FIFA President”to eliminate“. The former European champion was considered the logical successor to Blatter. Instead, his former confidante Gianni Infantino rose to become the head of the world association.
The FIFA Ethics Committee banned Blatter and Platini for eight years each in 2015. Even if these sanctions were later reduced, the ban meant the end of Platini’s ambitions to become the head of the world association. Blatter has always denied the allegations. He looks forward to the trial “with optimism”: “I hope that this story will come to an end and that all the facts will be properly processed“, he finally announced.
How does the process work?
A total of eleven days of negotiations are scheduled until June 22nd. A verdict is expected to be announced on July 8. Blatter will be questioned on Wednesday, Platini will follow a day later and the testimonies will begin. The meeting days are only scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. – with a view to Blatter’s health, who was in an artificial coma after an operation at the beginning of 2021. Blatter and Platini each face up to five years in prison. However, if convicted, a lesser sentence is considered likely.
What role does FIFA play?
The world association appears as a joint plaintiff and wants to get the money back. FIFA President Infantino will not appear as a witness. Platini reported the ex-UEFA general secretary to the French judiciary at the end of last year for active influence. However, Infantino’s meetings with former federal prosecutor Michael Lauber are not part of the process that is beginning. The FIFA boss had always rejected the allegation of collusion. In May 2021, a Swiss investigator was no longer allowed to proceed against him because of bias.
Source: SWR